Coroner’s Official: Dorner Died From Single Gunshot Wound To Head

SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) — San Bernardino sheriff’s officials Friday addressed the media for the first time since Christopher Dorner’s remains were identified.

Capt. Kevin Lacy of the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner said a 6-hour autopsy conducted by the Riverside County Coroner’s division showed that Dorner died of a single gunshot wound to the head.

“During the autopsy yesterday, the doctor who conducted the process, concluded that the cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head,” Lacy said, adding that officials are not yet ready to comment on the manner of his death.

“We will tell you that while we’re still compiling the information and putting our reports together, the information that we have right now seems to indicate that the wound that took Christopher Dorner’s life was self-inflicted,” Lacy said.

Officials also explained Friday that the charred remains were found in a basement of the burned-out cabin.

Dorner reportedly hid in that property, which was right across from the command post, after entering through an unlocked door. According to San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon, the condo was searched on Thursday evening.

“They checked that door and it was in fact locked. We later discovered through investigation that the Reynolds left the door unlocked so that a maintenance man could come in and check the residence and work on it,” McMahon said.

“It appears at that point that Christopher Dorner had already entered that residence and locked the door behind him. Our deputies knocked on that door and did not get an answer. And in hindsight, it’s best that he did not answer based on his actions before and after that event,” McMahon said.

McMahon also denied that his deputies intentionally burned down the cabin with Dorner inside but admitted that over scanner traffic somebody could be heard yelling, “Burn it down.”

“There is some recordings that I have heard on the news that would suggest that somebody – we have no idea at this point who – made those comments. We’re looking into those and we’ll deal with those appropriately,” he said.

Also at Friday’s news conference, a sniper rifle with a silencer belonging to Dorner was put on display. Investigators say he also had semi-automatic handguns, ten silencers, high-capacity magazines, canisters of CS gas and smoke and a military-style vest and helmet.

He was also wanted in the ambush murder of Riverside police officer Michael Crain, who was shot to death in his patrol car on Feb. 7. Crain’s partner was also critically injured in the ambush, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Officials said Dorner’s fourth and final murder victim — a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy identified as 35-year-old Jeremiah McKay — was killed during Tuesday’s standoff.